The short video clip below discusses a common topic that I suspect affects many if not most dads. Craig Hill shares a perspective that you may never have thought of before. This perspective may forever change the way you view this topic. I strongly suggest the resource mentioned below the video.

For more on this topic of debt, mammon, and money, I highly recommend the resource “Living On The Third River” by Craig Hill. It changed my paradigm about money in a way no other book has (outside the Bible) using a modern-day parable and rock solid truly life-changing teaching about money, provision, financial security, mammon, faith, generosity, abundance, and blessing others, from a spiritual perspective with practical application to our financial decisions and how we live our lives.

A dad in Texas shared an amazing story that recently happened at the company where he works.

His story makes a very strong case about our priorities…

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We all know how the economy is going nowadays, and probably most of us, if not all, are concerned about the near future, our jobs, and praying hard about it.

Yesterday at church I saw a good buddy of mine, and he was not looking good. So I took him aside and asked him what was going on. (We are accountability partners, and we often go straight to the point, no “how are you ?” between us.)

He told me that at his workplace “pink slips” were flying all around him, personnel reduction was the “word of the month,” and he was very worried about his job.

He works in IT and was studying madly to get a very hard IT certification to make his position harder to get rid of.

I understood, since I share his same concern, and I am in the ’same boat’ so to speak.

That made me think, and I told him the story I want to share with you all, that happened in my workplace last week.

Last Monday, as soon as we got to the office, we were told that one of the oldest executive managers in the company, “James” had passed on the night before, in his bed.

James was the General Manager of our most lucrative sales market, he had been the company VP and CFO
in different times, and was one of the oldest employees of the company.

The guy was working 12-14 hours a day, taking very little care of himself, and work was his life.

You all see where this is going, right?

A few days after the funeral, I was in the car with our VP, going to Dallas, for business. In the car we started to talk almost immediately about James and what had happened.

After a few casual comments of sorrow about his death, the VP made a comment that gave me the chills …

She said “You know, James “passing away” is going to save the company a lot of money, his salary was quite good, and all in all, we were considering “letting him go” anyway, for we still have to cut salaries and personnel…”

My heart sunk, for I realized how little “James” the man, the individual, had mattered to the company.

Technically, the comment was right.

Under the moral and “human” perspective, it was chilling.

Today, a week after the event, “James” is nearly forgotten.

Gone, merely a faint memory. His position will not be replaced, the company will save money, and that is the end of a 17 years old career.

Guys, put your time, heart and effort in your family and in God.

I still remember the stories my grandfather used to tell me, and he passed away 25 years ago.

My children still laugh and cherish the stories I tell them about my mother’s grandfather…

It’s just money, folks… rust and moths.

What really matters is in the hearts of people you live with, share laughs, experience life and faith with.

You (we all) are not what your job says.

We are fathers, husbands, a brother, a friend, a son of a wonderful God.

Your company will erase the memory of you in a few days, if you drop dead tomorrow.

Your family will remember you forever — put your sweat and effort where it will bear good fruits.

Sorry for the story, it’s probably depressing, but I felt the urgent need to vent…

God Bless you all, brothers.

TexasDad

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I pray this story has been a clear reminder to all of us dads of what and who to truly prioritize in 2009.

Blessings to you and your family in this new year,
Joey Watkins
Founder, FamilyDads

PS – The best resource I’ve found on helping dads make and keep the right priorities is–
http://www.dadresources.com/product.asp?itemid=15

As you probably know, the US stock market had its largest single day drop in history yesterday. Many politicians at the federal level are trying their best to dump $700 billion of bad debt onto the US taxpayers. And all across the news headlines lately are stories of declining economies and financial uncertainty.

However, for us family dads, it does not have to be a season of financial despair and discouragement.

Earlier this year, my wife and I were sitting in a large church gathering when the pastor took a quick “diversion” from his sermon to make a very heart-felt and urgent plea. He said “Do whatever you have to do to get completely out of debt as soon as possible.” And then he returned to his sermon topic. My wife and I both looked at each other and felt very clearly his instruction was directed specifically to us.

Fellow dad, I want to strongly encourage you with these same words.

Debt is when we buy things we don’t currently have the money on hand to purchase. It is the result of either a failure on our part to delay a purchase until provision exists. Or it is simply used in complete ignorance of the spiritual power behind debt.

When we use debt to buy something, we are willingly placing ourselves in bondage to both the financial lender as well as in the spiritual realm. I believe it is a form of idolatry. We are replacing God by presumptuously satisfying our desires or needs through borrowing money to pay for something, instead of awaiting His provision in His timing.

Author Craig Hill says that “there is a spirit behind personal debt, which will hinder the flow of finances in one’s life.” The weight of paying back money you don’t have, along with the pile of interest that builds up, creates a form a slavery –  and YOU and your family become the slaves. This is NOT what we want for ourselves nor for our family.

So again, let me pass on to you the words that so strongly resonated within me when I heard them…

“Do whatever you have to do to get completely out of debt as soon as possible.”

A helpful resource on the topic of the spiritual power behind money is Living On The Third River by Craig Hill. Two very practical resources on debt, provision, and spiritual laws relating to money are Your Financial Revolution 5-CD Audio Set and the book Fixing The Money Thing by Gary Keesee. All of these resources and more are available in the “Money” section at www.DadResources.com

Is there financial pressure in your home?

Financial tension with your spouse?

Is your primary focus on making more money?

Is there anxiety in your life over your financial condition?

Does earning money make you feel “successful”?

From one dad to another, I strongly encourage that you read
“Living On The Third River.”

It’s a quick, easy read that will radically change your thinking about money.

It begins with a story of three men who live on the side of a mountain along three rivers and how each man uses the water flowing down his river. The water represents money, and the way each man responds to the flow of water in his river reveals his true beliefs about provision.

You will quickly spot which river you are living on.

This book is about the spiritual power behind money and it’s influence on people.

Although it’s not a “kid’s book”, this is also an excellent resource to teach your children the truth about money, the spiritual power behind it, and the true source of financial provision.

I’ve read the story aloud with my children and will continue to do so regularly. I will even make this required reading for them on their journey to adulthood.

But don’t be mis-led. This book is for YOU, Dad.

It’s message can totally transform you in your understanding of money, the spiritual power behind it, the true source of provision, and how to become a financial blessing to others.

Get your copy of Living On The Third River.

by Joey Watkins

Last night I was reading a chapter in the book Created For Work with my almost 10-year-old son. The chapter was on blind spots and tells a story of a time when the author, Bob Schultz, nearly killed himself in the woods one day on a runaway logging skidder because his foot was unknowingly mashed down on the accelerator while he stood on the step-up platform to hitch a ride. Because of the noise of the engine, the driver had to literally punch Bob’s leg off the accelerator to save him from a deadly accident.

Bob then ties this story to the problems we each face in life — in our work, our family, or whenever life gets out of hand — and encourages us to consider if we may be at fault.

A blind spot, of course, is some flaw in our actions, our talk, or our character that we do not see but others do. We don’t know what our blind spots are because if we did, they wouldn’t be blind spots!

For many of us dads, our blind spots are in the areas of pride, ego, selfishness, impure thoughts, and love of money. I know a man who worked as a sales manager for a business owner who had a blind spot in the area of his money. His business grew extremely well financially year after year and developed a very large surplus of cash. However, the business owner kept most of the profits and shared relatively little with his sales manager. His blind spot was a false sense of security in his money.

Knowing we have blind spots should humble each of us. Our wife, our children, and those in our work environment are usually the ones best able to help us identify our blind spots because these people spend the most time with us and know us best.

Let’s step up as family dads and have the courage to ask them what our blind spots are. Do it honestly, and don’t be defensive when they tell you. Just listen, pray about it, and then begin changing your ways. You’ll be a better person for it… and a better dad for your family.

“Who can understand stumblings? Cleanse thou me from secret faults.” Psalm 19:12

Resource For Boys

Dad, here’s a great way to spend one-on-one time with your 8-16 year old son. Read aloud with him each evening from this book, Created For Work. Each chapter is very short — only 3 to 5 pages — and uses an adventurous story in the life of a carpenter/handyman along with scripture to communicate principles of life, work, and character that our boys need to learn during their transition to manhood. The writing style is wholesome, engaging, and communicates spiritual truth to boys such as diligence, initiative, honesty, promptness, responsibility, and much more. A highly recommended FamilyDads resource. Learn More and Order